What's everyone's favorite shocks?

[EarlyElway]

Hello All,

Looking to upgrade my shocks from the old K Bar S shocks that have been on my rig since I got. I think anything would be an upgrade at this point but I want quality and a good look.

What does everyone like to run on their rig? Mine sees the street more than it sees the trail but a want a good all purpose shock that looks cool. Price is not really a factor...within reason.

Thanks,

Matt

 

[lowbush]

Hello All,

Looking to upgrade my shocks from the old K Bar S shocks that have been on my rig since I got. I think anything would be an upgrade at this point but I want quality and a good look.

What does everyone like to run on their rig? Mine sees the street more than it sees the trail but a want a good all purpose shock that looks cool. Price is not really a factor...within reason.

Thanks,

Matt

Bilstein 5100 or 5150 are usually the most recommended and they are really good shocks. If you shop them you can find the 5100 for just north of $50 bucks a piece and the $5150 for just north south of $100 depending on the vehicle.

Both those shocks perform the same on the street, the 5150 is going to perform better off-road.

 

[Digger556]

Bilsteins.

I'm running 7100s, but they have other models that work as well. The 7100s are nice if you want to do your own tuning.

 

[Ol'Blue]

x3 Bilstein and they look sweet too.

 

[snipes243]

cant go wrong with KINGS

 

[65 mustang]

bilsteins

 

[bronconut73]

Bilstein are probably superior but I do like the adjustability of my Rancho RS 9000's.
And "they are" adjusted differently front and rear. Kind of a cool feature.

 

[ntsqd]

Bilsteins, Kings, SAW's, Fox's, and FOA's (to name a few) are all adjustable too (except for the 5100 family which require welding to be so). It's just not a knob on the outside that only adjusts rebound. It's a stack of shims that let you adjust both compression and rebound. Not as easy to do, but then you get shaft speed sensitive damping, which to my knowledge Rancho's etc. don't do.

 

[bronconut73]

Yea I get that but you have to admit, that while crude, the RS 9000 dial is really easy and more than most generic wheelers will ever need.
Having said that my Buddies Bilstein equipped eb seems to do everything well.
Excellent on street and excellent off road.
I have to adjust mine to achieve even comparable results.

 

[ntsqd]

Nope, won't admit that. I'm a damper snob. Ridding Patch of the the Rancho shocks was the best thing that I ever did to that truck.

 

[DeezNCSU]

Bilsteins.

 

[vintage bronco]

Bilstein

 

[73azbronco]

I like all the above.

And just to keep my promise to the store clerk 12 years ago who refused to exchange the 1 wk old KYB shocks because they sucked, KYB shocks are IMO the worst shocks on the planet.

 

[half cab]

I just put on a set of Nitro-X from TBP and am very impressed with the ride!

 

[bronconut73]

Nope, won't admit that. I'm a damper snob. Ridding Patch of the the Rancho shocks was the best thing that I ever did to that truck.

Damper snob, hahaha

 

[Greg_B]

Nope, won't admit that. I'm a damper snob. Ridding Patch of the the Rancho shocks was the best thing that I ever did to that truck.

My 9000s are 16 years old have have served me very well during that time... However they have outlived the urethane bushings. I would like to try a set of Bils to see what ppl like so much about them. Everyone that rides in my Bronco raves about how well it rides. If the Bils are that much better then it may rival a caddy..

For the sake of money I will most likely just replace the 5.00 bushings.

Greg

 

[ntsqd]

The problem with Bilsteins/Kings/Foxs/FOA's/etc. is that if you don't get the valve stack right (or someone does that for you, like a vendor with EB specific dampers) then the ride won't be as good as it could be and it is very possible to end up worse off than before. The upside is that when the valve stack is correct you won't believe how good the ride is.

My '91 1/2t Sub on 3/4t axles rode pretty nice with a set of obscure Rancho K5 Pre-Runner front springs under it, and a set RS5k's. It wasn't all that it could have been, but it worked well enough for the use.

 

[FlogginHarvey]

If you don't mind shelling out some extra money I went King 2.5 with adjustable ressies and LOVE THEM. I have a similar set from Carli on my F350 and they are absolutely night and day.

I was down to either Bilstein or King/Fox and afte the swap on the F350 I pulled the trigger on the Kings. Quite different on street, gravel, and pasture/fields. I just got all the wrinkles out (I hope) of an engine/tranny/transfer case rebuild and the next step will be to get her on some trails and really stetch her legs.